I have been using Verchat for a few days now, but I have a question. When someone ICQ's me a phone number, it comes up as a clickable link but defaults to the browser and trys to open it as an ip address. Do any of the other IM programs offer proper phone number intergration?
Thanx in advance

Hi, I'm new to blackberry and couldn't get IM+ to work on my 7750. I installed Verichat and it seems to be installed correctly. BUT, whenever i try to login i get "Could not find service book ent". Any idea what i need to do so i can connect to the chat services?

Both WebMessenger and VeriChat works without a BES/MDS now. (Regardless of outdated specs on their webpage). Just make sure you follow the "Configuring Internet On BlackBerry" from the BlackBerry FAQ in the link below:

Mark Rehjon, thanks so much for all your insightful work on these forums - you've got a dedicated reader in me !!

Earlier in this thread (I haven't figured out the quote function yet), you stated:

IM is only a niche market for business.

With all due respect, I manage 300 employees in 17 locations spanning 4 countries, and we use an IM program all the time (we happen to use the Lotus Notes add-ons called "SameTime" or "Notes Buddy".

A few business advantages of IM-type apps:

1. since everyone's on the same email software with this add-on, its almost a natural to log onto ST (SameTime) when you log in to check your mail, so most folks are accessible.

2. we do lots of telephone conferences (usually secure 8xx phone-in numbers with passwords for security) and may have many folks on a call. since we're remote physically from each other (not in the same conference room looking at each other eye ball to eye ball), often hard to read "body language", so we use ST to ping other attendees "off line" for their impressions of what's being said by the speaker(s), etc. or to have "side conversations" since we're already all "there"

3. its a great way to just stay in touch with employees, colleagues or your boss (the new electronic way of practicing MBWA (management by walking around).

4. i bet i have at least half a dozen ST windows going at any point during my 10 to 12 hour days, either at my home office or work site office.

5. people get used to "seeing" you on ST, and as such, you are a viable presence in the "office" no matter where you are physically (I also spend a couple of months a year working from my boat - its ok when at the dock and tied into a land line (dial up speed for email SUCKS but one gets by - one of the reasons I just bought a BB (7100g) is so I can do this while "hangin' on the hook" (at anchor), and not be punished by dial up speeds to my laptop or land line. in many cases, i avoid a LOT of otherwise essential email to get the job done by using ST.

So Mark, for me, and a few other tens of thousands of IBMers, ST (IM, etc) is a fundamental part of how we do business worldwide. not just a consumer gadget, but a serious business tool !!

thanks again for all the great posts, you guys, this is awesome stuff !!

Verichat works fine for me except for one thing. I love how you can be signed on to AOL at two different places at the same time. Wish this was an option for MSN as well because we use both at my company.

Verichat installed successfully ... then I get to the choosing of the "prviders" (MSN and Yahoo) for instant messaging ... they ask for the ID/Passwords , which I do, then !!!! What ????? When I go to the Applications then to Verichat ... it still asks to re-renter all of the info ... seems I CANNOT save the entries!
What to do please?

I finally tried this program. I still prefer the Verichat interface, but the damn thing keeps logging on and off on me all day long. Having tried IM+, and Verichat as well now... I think Webmessenger is the best of the three at this point in time. I'll probably purchase a license as well at the end of the trial.

They should really update their webpage... I didn't try it all this time since I thought you had to have BES/MDS as indicated. I'm glad Mark posted otherwise.

Verichat installed successfully ... then I get to the choosing of the "prviders" (MSN and Yahoo) for instant messaging ... they ask for the ID/Passwords , which I do, then !!!! What ????? When I go to the Applications then to Verichat ... it still asks to re-renter all of the info ... seems I CANNOT save the entries!
What to do please?

If you configured it right, it should auto sign you in to all or any of them that you pick when verichat starts. I wanted to sign into all 4, so when i set it up, i made sure that the checkbox was checked to auto connect when verichat is started. It saved my info and signs me in automatically.

I'm leaving the program running in the background all day... but often when I switch back to it throughout the day, it says it's "disconnected" -- and I can't seem to manually connect it again (unless I perhaps log out completely, close the program, and log back in again.) I'm in service area, so it's not like my phone is out of range. And my screen-names appear online to my buddies, but any messages they send are lost. What's the cause of this... any way to fix it?

I'm on my 3rd day with WM and that is also the same problem I face. Despite clicking on 'connect' when one or two of my IM services show 'disconnect' status, the only way to get connection back is to exit and relog back into WM providing it does not crash your BB.

But what is funny is that if WM is a single socket connection, then why is it that sometimes 1 or 2 of the IM services log me off? What's annoying about this is that it wouldn't log back on.

Some additional info: If you have trouble logging into WM consistently, it may be time to do a hard reboot (removal of battery). I have a hunch that (for Nextel at least) when using WM for too long of a period, something happens and you lose the MDG connection which renders WM useless. I test this by going into Reqwireless' WebBrowser and if I can;t view websites, then it's time to reboot. This does nto seem to affect the NOL browser however I wonder if this affects the DC or cell calls.

A client of mine wants to use AIM on his Blackberry 7520 with Nextel service. I have upgraded him to OS 4.0. I want to get explicit instructions to be able to install Verichat in one visit. I've looked over Verichat's instructions and yours. Little confused. Will I need and APN from Nextel and the TCP static IP? Can you give me exact instructions including if I need to speak to Nextel to "turn on" any additional services for this install to go relatively seemlessly.